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Number 2/⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ general ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ from the tenants of the properties ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ and what relates to ⟦illegible⟧
IJA 652
Financial and Tenant Correspondence, Ḥevrah Ḳadishah
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These are financial documents from the Ḥevrah Ḳadishah, the Burial Society, in Baghdad. The documents contain correspondence between tenants, potential tenants, and Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri regarding properties owned by the Ḥevrah Ḳadishah society. It includes a list of maintenance needed, expenses, receipts, and a legal document that requests the end to a lease of a tenant sent by the Ḥevrah Ḳadishah Society’s lawyer.
AI English Translation, Pages 1-25
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To the Honorable Chairman of the Monitoring Committee in Baghdad Subject: Rent Reduction Presented to your Excellency We, the tenants of the shops in your building endowed for the rent of shop number 144/29 located on Al-Kifah Street in Tayaran in Baghdad for the upcoming new year, as we submit that we request from the Endowments and the Committee a reduction before it is reduced for them because they have all the endowments and the endowments for this, the matter is yours ⟦illegible⟧ 1/21/1960 The tenants, the tenants here on Al-Kifah Street and the neighborhood of Tayaran in Baghdad ⟦signature⟧ Messrs. Anwar Shahin and Elias Shoumiel have agreed to set the annual rent at 150/- Dinars instead of 170/- Dinars annually. We have organized the lease contract accordingly. ⟦signature⟧ 2/22/1960
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Through the Notary Public of North Baghdad, Respected To His Eminence Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri, Respected It is not hidden from your Eminence that I am the tenant of the house and the attached premises No. ⟦illegible⟧ / ⟦illegible⟧ located in the Al-Bataween neighborhood for a period of one year which ended on ⟦illegible⟧ / 5 / 57, and since I intend to renew the contract for another year starting from ⟦illegible⟧ / 5 / 57 at its previous rate amounting to four hundred and eighty dinars, to be paid in four installments, each installment one hundred and twenty dinars. Therefore, I request you to kindly attend before the Notary Public of North Baghdad within twenty-one days from the date of your notification of this to sign the aforementioned contract, and for the purpose of your request, I have written this notice. The Notifier (Tenant) Mr. Hussein Khalaf Office of the Notary Public of North Baghdad: General Number: 6425 No. ⟦illegible⟧: ⟦line⟧ Page Number: ⟦line⟧ Date: 5 - May - 1957 Fee: Fils Dinar Signature 450 This notice was submitted by Hussein Khalaf after verifying his identity and requesting its notification to Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri. After collecting the legal fee, the office kept the original and sent the three copies for notification on 5 / 5 / 1957. Jamal Raouf Notary Public of North Baghdad ⟦circular stamp with emblem⟧ Notified on date 7 / 5 / 57 I received the amount from the Notary Public according to the check numbered 84 on the Central Bank and dated ⟦illegible⟧ / 5 / 57 for the insurance amount and paid to the treasury ⟦illegible⟧
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Postal Service To: The respected Mr. Hosni Al-Khalaf ⟦line⟧: Abu Shibl neighborhood, House No. 122/22, Ghazi Street (Sender's name and address): President of the Hebra Kadisha Society, Baghdad ⟦line⟧: Baghdad BAGHDAD 30 APR 57 5 MAY 57 Stamp of the issuing office name
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Acknowledgment of Receipt (To be returned to the issuing office for return to the sender) Baghdad ⟦illegible⟧ 30 APR 57 Received by me: Registered Addressed to (Name and Address): Insured for an amount of: Fourteen The weight of the insured item is: ⟦line⟧ grams Date of delivery: Signature of the addressee (*) Enter (letter) or (card) or (packet) or (parcel) as the case may be and delete the word (insured) when the item is not insured.
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Baghdad 18 / 10 / 1957 Through His Excellency the Notary Public of South Second, Respected To Rabbi Sassoon Khadduri, President of the Hebra Kadisha Society, Respected I had rented the shop and the house numbered 27 / 27 and 27a / 127 Located in the Al-Bushibr neighborhood belonging to the Society, and as of 1 / 11 / 1951 for an annual rent of eighty-four dinars In four installments, each installment twenty-one dinars according to receipts, but you have refused to receive the mentioned rent Consequently, I was forced to deposit it with His Excellency the Notary Public of North Baghdad And due to the lack of vacant premises in houses or shops, we were forced To remain in it, and thus, he who warns is excused. Petitioner Youssef Naji Abdul Nabi Al-Bushibr Neighborhood, House No. 27 / 27 50 Fils ⟦fingerprint⟧ Office of the Notary Public of South Baghdad Second: Amount collected: 250 fils General Number: 1966 Page Number: Registry Number: Date: 8 / 10 / 57 This warning was presented by ⟦...⟧ and he requested its notification To (Rabbi) Sassoon Khadduri ⟦...⟧ With a copy of it and sent ⟦...⟧ Assistant Notary Public ⟦...⟧
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To the Honorable President of the Hebra Qadisha Association in Baghdad Submitted to your Excellency I, the petitioner Immanuel Badri Sattam, owner of the shop Numbered 144 / 29 / 2, wish to rent the shop adjacent to me because it has become vacant, for an amount of one hundred and twenty dinars annually, noting that its previous rent was five dinars. Since I am the most entitled person to it, I ask your Excellency to approve the execution of the lease contract in my name, and the matter is yours to decide. 12 / 2 / 1956 Immanuel Badri Sattam ⟦Immanuel⟧
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3 / 20 / 1956 Distribute the papers 3 / 28 / 56 Based on what was decided His Excellency the Head of the Jewish Community and President of the Hebra Qadisha Society, Respected Subject: Shop No. 29 T / 144 The Administrative Board has approved opening an eviction lawsuit Very urgent ⟦line⟧ Based on the instructions of Mr. Selim Gabbay, I inspected the mentioned shop and saw one of its walls is on the verge of collapsing and must be repaired immediately. The repair is estimated at ten dinars. The reason for the deterioration of this wall is the presence of the basement beneath it, which was used as a storage for the toilets installed in each of these shops that were used as places for selling liquor, in addition to the fact that they are rented at a very low rent. Your Excellency remembers that the people of the neighborhood submitted a petition demanding the removal of such people from their neighborhood. If we were able to remove them, we would gain financially and gain the favor of good people, in addition to preserving this precious property from rapid destruction. Therefore, I ask Your Excellency to authorize me the right to evict them, provided that I appoint the lawyer I want, on the condition that this lawyer does not receive any amount if he does not
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The lawsuit will succeed except for the stamp fees and the lawsuit fee, which are two very small amounts: This is for your consideration. The Lawyer ⟦signature⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
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1/6/1952 To the President of the Hebra Qadisha Association Subject: The house adjacent to the headquarters of Hebra Qadisha Based on the instructions of the accountant Mr. Selim Gabbay, I have inspected the mentioned house and found that the septic tank roofing is damaged and weak and needs repair. Since this does not pose a danger to the building, and since this weakness came as a result of the use by the residents of the house, as when they occupied the house the <del>roofing</del> ⟦roofing⟧ was good, therefore I see no reason for the community to carry out the repair rather, it must be done by the residents of the house if they wish. The Engineer ⟦signature⟧ Saleh
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Date 15 / 11 / 1955 His Excellency the Head of the Community, the respected Subject: The shops belonging to Hebra Qadisha located on Ghazi Street Based on the instructions of Mr. Selim Kabbay regarding the construction of a second floor above the shops, I inspected them and found that it is possible to carry out this work by building an apartment for residential rental or rental to doctors or lawyers. The area of the second floor is approximately 250 m2, including the roofing of the sidewalk. The approximate costs are 3000 three thousand dinars, including the concrete columns on the street. An annual rent of not less than 700 seven hundred dinars can be obtained from this. Therefore, I request the allocation of an amount of two dinars to obtain a new registration copy and a certified map from the Land Registry in order to proceed with the engineer's design for that and present it to your Excellency. The Engineer Saleh
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Date: 5 / 12 / 1955 His Eminence the Head of the Israelite Community and the Honorable President of the Hevra Kadisha Subject: The property belonging to the Hevra Kadisha and the number ⟦39 / 122⟧ Based on the instructions of the accountant Mr. Selim Kabbay and the petition submitted by the residents of the Tatran neighborhood... etc., I inspected the mentioned endowment and found toilets built inside the shops that were used for selling beverages. The shops are in a disgraceful state due to the presence of drunkards and the foul odors emanating from them, and their rents are very meager (cheap), and the cellar (warehouse) located under the shops has been used as a storage for the toilets and is rented for less than 120 Dinars annually. Therefore, I suggest using the petition as a means to evict the tenants and re-rent them to others, noting that each shop can be rented for an amount of no less than 50 Dinars annually. This is for your command. Sincerely, ⟦illegible⟧ Saleh
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To the Honorable President of the Jewish Community Based on the understanding reached between Mr. Albert Agoub and the tenant of the house located on Al-Mustansir Street, belonging to the Meir Taweig Society, I have inspected the aforementioned house and it appeared that the tiling of the house floor is in very poor condition and requires re-tiling again, along with cement plastering for part of the room walls on the ground floor, with other renovations. Therefore, I estimated the costs at -/25 twenty- five Dinars. I hope you will express your opinion on this matter. Please accept my respects. Engineer Naeem Shaul ⟦signature⟧ 22 / 5 / 957
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His Eminence, the respected President of the Jewish Community I submit to your Eminence that I am the occupant of the shop numbered 144/29 Ghazi Street, and have used it as a bar for selling national drinks for some time. Since the renovation and repair of the mentioned shop is the responsibility of the property owner Khairi and ⟦...⟧ And before you, they issued a warning through the notary public confirming the existence of defects and damages in the shop; in this situation, I request your Eminence to send one of the engineers to inspect the shop, as my neighbor, the owner of the ⟦...⟧ warehouse, has caused many damages to it from the severity of the vibrations. Since I am an elderly man with children and a large family, I beg your order to issue approval for the renewal of the lease. With great respect. The Inspection The tenant of the shop Number 144/29 Hormuz Mannu 50 Fils H
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Hevra Kadisha Association
Founded in 1954
Telephone { President: 83531
Headquarters: 5452
Guard: 83456
Number:
Date: 25 / 4 / 1957
Subject:
Through the Honorable Second Notary Public of Southern Baghdad
To Mr. Hussein Al-Khalaf, residing in the house numbered 23/123 Ghazi Street
Greetings,
Since your lease for the house and the shop numbered under door numbers 23/123 and 123/23a located in the neighborhood of
Al-Bushibl belonging to this association expires on 30 / 4 / 1957, and due to our desire to demolish the house and the shop and construct
another building in their place, therefore, unfortunately, we cannot renew the contract. Accordingly, please vacate the two buildings upon the expiration of the lease, i.e., on
30 / 4 / 1957, otherwise we will unfortunately be forced to take legal action against you.
Please accept our respect,
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
President of the Hevra Kadisha Association
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Number ⟦...⟧ 22 / 1 / 6 The association's headquarters is House No. 17m / 141 Ghazi Street, Al-Tawrah neighborhood. His Excellency, the Director of the Baghdad Electricity Department, Respected Baghdad After greetings, Please kindly inspect the electricity meter located at our association's headquarters, as we notice that the electricity consumption is increasing month after month, while its use by our employees is very minimal, and we doubt the accuracy of the mentioned meter. Please accept the highest expressions of respect. Sassoon Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri President of the Hebra Kadisha Association
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His Excellency the Director of the Baghdad Electricity Service ⟦Committee⟧ Greetings, Please be so kind as to inspect the electricity meter located at our association's headquarters, as we notice that electricity consumption is increasing month after month, while no new usage has occurred by our users, so we strongly suspect, and we doubt the accuracy of the aforementioned meter. Please accept our highest regards and respect.
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His Excellency, the President of the respected Israelite Community I am the tenant of the house numbered 2/277 located in Ras al-Qarya neighborhood, and since a lawsuit was filed against me for eviction and you requested an increase in the monthly rent amounting to (6,200) six dinars and two hundred fils to a monthly rent of (12) dinars, and as this assessment is considered high in relation to my financial capacity, being the head of a family of six people and responsible for supporting them alone with no one to help me in that, I hope that you and the rest of the esteemed members of the community will look upon my case with an eye of compassion and kindness by making the monthly rent for the aforementioned house (8) eight dinars, and by doing so, you would have renewed your kindness. Knowing that I have lived in this house for four years and have repaired it several times at my own expense, until the amount for repairs I carried out the last time reached (7) dinars, which I paid myself. Finally, I hope your Excellency will be sympathetic to this request of mine, especially as I am a junior employee with a limited salary. Please accept my highest respect. on behalf of the tenant ⟦illegible signature⟧ Heskel ⟦Ezra⟧ Al-Ani Employee in the Criminal Investigation Directorate Resident in the aforementioned house
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⟦illegible⟧ Honorable President of the Administrative Committee of the Jewish Community Please With the grace of the two Vice Presidents And Messrs. Meir Habib And Ibrahim ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ 24 / 12 Subject: Meir Twayqa Building As a result of conducting the necessary inspection to re-tile the floors of the lower rooms and the drains from the floors, amounting to 500/- Dinars, we therefore request your kind approval of the amount so that we may proceed with the work. Please accept our highest respect. The Engineer ⟦signature⟧ 22 / 12 / 954 Fils | Dinars Removing floors of rooms and drains 4 units x 4.50 x 4.00 = 72.00 m2 1 x 5.00 x 1.50 = 7.50 m2 875 | 21 | Re-tiling rooms and drains 79.50 m2 | 80.000/- New tiles instead of broken ones 200 units | 4.500/- 800 | 2 | Removing and cleaning old drains | 14.000/- And re-tiling the courtyard floors With tiles and mosaic including: 200 | 3 | 2 x 4.00 x 4.00 = 32.00 m2 | 45.000/- Painting rooms before tiling 000 | 2 | 1 x 8.00 x 0.25 = 2.00 m2 | 15.000/- 125 | 4 | Internal renovations for the bathroom, kitchen, and roofs 500 | 50 | Only fifty dinars and no more
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His Excellency the Chairman of the Administrative Committee of the Jewish Community, Respected Subject: Reconstruction of the house numbered 22/122 The house I occupy, numbered 22/122, requires internal repairs, especially since one of its walls collapsed suddenly and needs to be rebuilt urgently for fear of the rest of the structure, which is feared might also collapse and cause significant damage. Your kind attention to the mentioned repair is requested, and the command is yours, sir. ⟦thumbprint⟧ 22/9 The Petitioner Al-Hajj Hussein Al-Khalaf Honorable Secretary of the Administrative Committee, Respected The mentioned house pays the Hebra Qadisha Society a rental fee of 7.500 Dinars annually including the furniture attached to the mentioned house. Please kindly refer it to the engineer to conduct the necessary inspection or to the recently formed management of the society to act as it sees appropriate. 22/9 Al-Latif To be inspected By the Vice President and the two members Meir Halib and Ibrahim Meshi ⟦T. S.⟧ 21/12 Only The necessary repairs have been carried out
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Number (7) 89 54 Expenses of a modern charitable society In the amount of sixty-eight dirhams only ⟦signature⟧ To The ledger of this building with the receipts, and I found them matching Therefore, it is submitted to His Excellency the Head of the Community according to the observed procedures Seal document 19 / 7 / 1956